


Nightmares

by FrankiValerie



Series: After Omega [3]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Mentions of Murtock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 14:07:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7466268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankiValerie/pseuds/FrankiValerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caleb is a character created by @Tortuga_rebel on twitter, and he has given me permission to write and post.  </p><p>This is a 4th or 5th draft of After Omega chapters and I'm still not 100% happy with it, but the fact that it's literally a year of work gone un-revised is killing me... so here is my 4th or 5th draft.  I hope you like it!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares

_I can't move_

_My wrists are bound_

_My head… It hurts... There’s something missing.  This feels wrong_

_Those smells... Rubber gloves, sterilising agents, copper, heat…._

_Why is it so dark?_

_"That’s it Zero... nice and calm... we don't want to have to get Mr Drellings in, do we?"_

_I can’t move my feet, I can’t get away_

_Why can’t I see anything?_

_"Don’t try to use your powers just yet, Subject Zero, I've had to remove your implants" his voice is like a snake slithering in my head, "there’s nothing you can do, so why fight?"_

_I can't fight if I can't move_

_I can hear him picking up the scalpel_

_Any second he'll —_

**_NO, NO STOP! THE PAIN! PLEASE, NO!!_ **

_"Don’t struggle, Zero the pain will only get worse"_

_I'm trying to scream, why can't I scream?_

_I need to tell him to stop! It hurts! He's killing me! **Please, stop!!!**_

_His slithering voice tenses and he hisses through clenched teeth, "Your resistance is meaningless! This is your purpose!"_

Jack inhaled sharply, breath catching in her dry throat, and sat bolt upright, kicking and fighting at the bed sheets so furiously she toppled to the floor. She cursed, convulsed and cried on the floor; she could still hear his snarling, feel his hands inside her skin, his blades scraping and scratching her bones.

"Jack!" Caleb was over her, attempting to gather her up into his arms, "Wake up!"

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME YOU SICK FUCK!" Her biotics sparked over her skin, lashing out in unstable whips, one narrowly missing Caleb’s face.

"Jack, it was a nightmare, it's me!"

"I'M GONNA TEAR YOU APART YOU BASTARD!" Her threat was smothered by fear, and her voice broke, tears pouring from her eyes. He loosened his grip for a moment, and reached to turn on the dim lamp beside the bed, "Jack, open your eyes, it was just a dream"

She still fought, though eventually her glazed over eyes started to focus and her biotics died down again.

In the light he can see the extent of her fear. Her eyes are red, her full lips twisted into a snarl, her jaw clenched. He raised a hand to her cheek and strokes it softly, "Jack. Hey. Everything's alright" A sob escaped from between her teeth and another tear fell from the corner of her eye.

 

“You can stay the night if you want to, Bella.” James spoke softly, running his hands over Jack’s body as she moved to sit up, “you don’t have to vamos after every time.” 

Jack reached for her khakis and made a noise in her throat, “No, I do.  I can’t sleep here.”

James propped himself up on his elbow, “Why not? There’s plenty room.”

“I’m not a great sleep over buddy.” Jack snapped, standing to pull her pants up and turning to face him, “I ain’t a good sleeper.” She finished, deciding in a moment not to share too much.

James simply searched her expression, “a warm body next to ya might help that, chica.”

Jack shook her head and muttered under her breath, looking for her belt with one boot in her hand.

James sat up now, “Jack… stay a couple hours at least?”

They haven’t been doing this long but it was long enough that Vega had learned how to read Jack.  Sure it had been hard, the girl put up steel walls that were 10 feet thick but gradually she’d opened a door and let him see inside.  Right now she was trying to slam the door on his fingers but he could see that she was uncomfortable and it was about more than just sharing a bed.

“Bella,” he whispered, reaching for her hand, “Talk to me.”

Jack sighed and eventually dropped her boot and sat on the end of the bed.  She hadn’t told James about Cerberus or what they did to her, but she knew he overheard her threaten Rodriguez on Grissom, (“Take a good look at these scars – Cerberus did this to me when I was half your age!”).  She appreciated that he didn’t usually pry.

“I have… night terrors.  Almost every night.” She couldn’t look at him while she spoke because she knew she’d cry, “During the worst ones I lash out and I can’t control my biotics.  Couple years back I was with this cult, and we all slept on this one big mattress; it was all about flesh being together as one and heightening spiritual connection or some shit.  This one night I have a real bad terror and start screaming and throwing punches and my biotics flare up so bad that I gave two other people third degree burns.  Another guy lost a foot.”

She paused to let James say something.  He just placed a hand gently on her back, “You wanna talk about the nightmares?” he offered. 

“Cerberus.” Was all she said.  James figured that if she wanted to say more, she would have.  For now, he just wanted to protect her.  He stroked his hand from her lower back to her shoulder.

“I get it,” he answered after deciding she definitely didn’t wanna say more, “I get some bad nightmares too, got me waking up in cold sweats.  But you know what? Never had one when there’s someone I trust laying beside me.”  He sat up and leant to kiss her back, right between her shoulder blades, “You trust me, Bella?”

His touch was so soft, even from his meaty callus hands, it just made her relax instantly.  She turned to him, lifted her legs onto the bed and felt a single tear fall down her cheek as she laid her head on his shoulder, his thick arm around her small frame.

 

She didn’t have a nightmare that night, or any night after.  It was as if his heat drew all the bad thoughts from her mind.  Now all those thoughts have been thrown back all at once and she felt his withdrawal so harshly.  This was proof he was really gone. She felt more angry than upset. Caleb held her tight against his chest and she shivered against him. He rocked her slowly, whispering soothing words that pull her back into reality, chasing away the furious commands of Teltin's lead surgeon Dr Welsor.

"You're safe with me Jack. Ain't gonna let anyone hurt you." She finds the strength to lift her arms and drapes them around his back, she wants to thank him but her mouth is too dry, her throat aching like she'd been screaming for hours. She swallows a couple times then tries to speak, but all that comes out is a weak wheezing whine. 

He helps her back up onto the bed, "I'll get you some water." 

Caleb always understood.  She’d been able to confide in him from the beginning, though she may have battled with the instincts that told her she could trust him.  He was the only person she could really count on for a long ass time. There was a deep love between them, an understanding and knowledge of one another so strong that it couldn't ever be broken.  But that wasn’t how it had started. 

 

 

He knew her as _Subject Zero_ and, like everyone else in the terminus, had heard about her biotics and strength. They were both on Illium and had used each others skills to get off world... then used each others bodies to get off. Something had happened between them; a spark or some connection that was way beyond anything physical. After that they'd been forced into this awkward situation - two of them alone on a stolen cruiser in the open vastness of space. They'd drifted for days before they really thought of an alternate place they could hide out. The way he looked at her and the way she had to stop herself looking right back. Surely she was making it up? They just had to kill time by talking. Maybe then she’d know enough about him to convince herself she was making everything up. But the more they talked, the harder it got to convince herself she didn’t care about him. She still tried telling herself he was just a good fuck and it was endorphins released during sex that were making her feel this way. Nothing else. They eventually went their separate ways without exchanging any contact information or plans for what they were doing next.

A little over a year later she spotted him in some shitty dive bar on Omega. Some cheap looking girl was draped over him, clinging like a wet scarf, laughing way too much at everything he said and flashing him this lopsided "sexy" smile. Jack had been about to leave when they came in but she figured it'd be a good show. 

She watched for a good hour and a half, grinning at how Caleb winced when the girl laughed, always talking to her tits, never really looking at her face. Eventually she had one drink too many, unable to keep up with Caleb's pro drinking skills and had to rush to the ladies room. He ordered another beer and finally spotted Jack, watching him with an amused smirk. He met her eyes, shot her his first genuine smile of the night and caught her more than a little off guard. His 'date' had returned eventually and obviously suggested they go somewhere quieter but he just stood up, took his drink and wandered over to Jack. He looked her up and down and rested his hand on her back, as if to make sure she was really there, "…Jack." 

She nodded and turned toward him, taking a sip of her drink, "… Caleb." 

He grinned wider, "Buy you another drink?" 

The time after that had been different. She'd seen him, he'd seen her, but they hadn't said anything. He was with his crew. She was with Murdock. She remembered having to take Murdock back to their shuttle after she saw Caleb; he was too drunk and had been trying to take a piss on the jukebox. Embarrassing.

They saw each other again the week after Murdock's death. She'd heard his recording and headed for the nearest city in the terminus. She intended on killing herself- the guilt was too much. But, then his sacrifice would have been a waste and she wouldn't allow that. The recording had asked her to promise to stay safe and stay alive. So instead she'd drown the echo of his voice in her head in as much alcohol as she could find. She only vaguely remembered Caleb showing up, looking concerned and taking the drink off her. She had tried to hit him but the drink made her slow and threw off her balance, meaning she just fell against him. He took her somewhere safe, stayed until she was sober, took care of her. He wouldn't go until he was certain she was okay.

Back in the cabin of his ship, Caleb watched Jack carefully as she sipped her water. Not carefully like other people watched her; like she could spontaneously combust any second, but as if he was straining to hear her thoughts. He was ready to listen to whatever it was she was going to say next. "Do you remember how we met?" she finally said. Her throat still stung and her voice was hoarse. He nodded, "Course I do. Illium.  Couldn’t take my eyes off you if I tried." 

"And the cruiser we stole. We flew around in that thing for what... a week?" He nodded again, waiting for a point. "Some of the shit I told you, I've never breathed a word of to anyone else. Ever. Not Shepard, not the Tank, not even Kas." 

He frowned, "So why tell me?" She shrugged and sipped her water again, then leant against him. His arm was around her in no time. "Guess I just felt I could. Or maybe I was trying to scare you away." 

When he spoke, his voice was soft and he started stroking his thumb soothingly over her shoulder, "I don't scare that easy, J."


End file.
